Coronavirus disease appropriate behavior among medical representatives

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis has brought many appropriate changes in the behavior of the people in India. It posed deleterious effects on nearly every industry and business sector and pharmaceutical industry is no exception. Medical representatives were facing challenges in contacting health-care providers and other concerned individuals for sales efforts during the pandemic affecting their work behaviors and outputs. Therefore, it is highly important that MRs have adequate knowledge about the COVID-19 appropriate behaviors (CABs). Aims and Objectives: The objective of our study was to assess the perception of COVID-19 appropriate behaviors (CAB), among medical representatives. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted during lockdown for a period of 3 months from May to July 2021. After obtaining Institutional approval using the CAB, published by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a questionnaire was designed and along with the consent form was sent to Medical Representatives to collect the information on CAB. Data from all consented voluntary participants using self-administered Google forms were collected. The data collected were reversibly coded and confidentiality of participants was maintained. Results: A total of 88 number of medical representatives (n = 88) participated in the study. Of these, 96.50% were males and all were <50 years. Graduated participants constituted 96.6% (n = 85). Only 67.10% perceived it as a serious disease. Greeting without physical contact was practiced by 57 (64.7%), Namaste, by 56 (63.3%). Avoiding touching hands, nose, and mouth was considered very important by 68.9%. Covering nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze with handkerchief was considered important for 96.6%. Avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth was considered “not important at all” and slightly important by 2.2% and 5.6%, respectively. Discourage and avoiding crowd was thought as not important at all by 3.4% and slightly important by 2.3%. Conclusion: The medical representatives are well informed about COVID-19 disease and it is spread but only 2/3rd of the participants regarded COVID-19 as a serious condition and practiced various CABs to prevent infection spread. They considered national news and doctors as the main source of information.